Light in the Darkest Days
by Foxx Kitsune
Summary: Sesshoumaru asked his father what true strength was. He had asked a million times, and hadn't gotten an answer. His father's chuckle confused him, as he'd never smiled like that before. "Sesshoumaru…do you have something to protect?" Companion piece to Warmth on the Coldest Nights.
1. Chapter 1

**LIGHT IN THE DARKEST DAYS**

**SUMMARY: **Sesshoumaru asked his father what true strength was. He had asked a million times, and hadn't gotten an answer. His father's chuckle confused him, as he'd never smiled like that before. "Sesshoumaru…do you have something to protect?" Companion piece to Warmth on the Coldest Nights.

**DEDICATED TO:** My Jamie. Merry Christmas!

**CHAPTER ONE**

Practice was hardly successful, as always. Sesshoumaru sparred with soldiers, taking them down with no problem, and his father watched closely. But once his father stepped forward, Sesshoumaru knew to not expect victory, even as he took on different stances that the many soldiers had displayed earlier, hoping that the one different stance would suit him and throw his father off guard. However, his father knew the weakness in every stance, and Sesshoumaru found that frustration returning for the umpteenth time. He had used the tiger demon's stance, a light crouch with one foot behind him as his hands hovered before his chest protectively. His father didn't take a stance, just smiling at him with that playful gleam in his eyes. Sesshoumaru let the foot behind him slide further back before pushing off with it, leaping forward at a rather high speed.

Sesshoumaru was impulsive, and his father waited for Sesshoumaru to arrive before grabbing his arm and tossing him backwards. Their sparring match had just begun, but the door to the dojo opened and his father was immediately behind him. Although the servant who had entered nearly fell over backwards, his father had grabbed the servant by the arm, pulling her back to her feet as he wrapped an arm with an iron grip around Sesshoumaru's waist. The collision – which could have proven unhealthy for the alliance with the black inu clan – was avoided, leaving the dog general smiling down at the servant girl tenderly and a rather stunned-looking black inu ambassador.

Sesshoumaru heard a growl in the back of his mind as he looked over the two, but ignored it. His impulsive inner beast had a tendency to get him in trouble, like now. Finally, his father released him and allowed him to stand on his own, though his contact with the servant girl lingered for perhaps a second longer than necessary. "Hello. What brings two beautiful women like yourself to my presence?" he asked, always the flirt. Sesshoumaru would have rolled his eyes at his father if it was just the two of them. Having to seem noble, however, left him no room to do as he pleased.

"I am Ritsu of Hayao's black inu clan. Hayao has taken over Kagero's clan as the Alpha and wishes to bridge the gaps that he was left with and create treaties and peace alliances with the neighboring inu clans," the ambassador commented after a moment's hesitation.

"Hayao must come here himself if he wishes to build an alliance," Sesshoumaru's father replied with a light frown, serious since the matters of clans and his lands was broached.

"As he is aware. However, he wished to play it safe while he recovers, seeing which clans would be open to an alliance and which clans wished for the war to continue. Thus, he will be making his alliances in a rather short time."

"I see," the dog general replied. He looked down at the servant girl before him – Sesshoumaru couldn't even remember the girl's name. "What do you think, Mizu?" he asked, though Mizu was probably a pet name. "Should I accept him with open arms or keep the war going?"

"Father, you cannot seriously leave a decision like this up to a servant girl…"

"She is a black inu like that clan. She wouldn't lie to me, either." Sesshoumaru openly frowned at his father's decision. The servant, put on the spot, was flushing madly.

"O-oh! Well, a black inu's morals are the same as a white inu's…I'm sure you would be a wonderful ally, and Hayao-sama recognizes that…"

"I'm your only 'sama,' Dear. Remember that," the dog purred at his servant, who quickly retreated, excusing herself with a rushed apology accompanied by a bow as she half-ran from the dojo. Sesshoumaru ignored the scene for the most part, taking this time to study Ritsu. She was certainly a catch – the swell of her bosom was noticeable even under the layers of her kimono, as well as her figure in general with her thin waist and wide hips. She looked good in the color black. It complimented her pale skin, dark hair, and red eyes quite nicely. Not to mention her plump red lips…

Usually, Sesshoumaru didn't pay much attention to women. At least not like this. He frowned at her, catching her gaze and holding it, though he forced as much annoyance as he could into his gaze as he frowned at her intensely. His demon purred at her, though he ignored it once more. She wouldn't be able to sense his demon. Never. She would never know, and he would ignore the urge to fraternize with her. He had more important things to do…the first of those things being finding a way to take on his father. "Shall we proceed, Father?"

The dog general frowned at his son in thought. "Hmm…no, I don't think so. Perhaps you should train on your own first. That stance suits a cat's speed more than yours," he advised, smiling as he left, probably to chase after that damnable servant girl that he'd taken that strange interest in. Come to think of it, he'd been acting strangely since her arrival months ago.

However, that left him alone…with her.

"Hello," she greeted after a few minutes. Sesshoumaru snorted at her, drawing his practice katana and wheeling on one of the soldiers, who had until now been observing. The two clashed and Sesshoumaru made it blatantly obvious that he wanted nothing to do with her delectable, beautiful body.


	2. Chapter 2

**LIGHT IN THE DARKEST DAYS**

**CHAPTER TWO**

Why her? Why would it have to happen to her at such a time as this?

She was supposed to come to the western castle. She was supposed to create a peaceful meeting between her clan leader and the leader of the white inu. She was supposed to return to her clan leader with the date and time of said meeting.

She was _not_ supposed to be staring at the son of said leader of the white inu and admiring him like he was a slab of meat in the midst of famine.

Her demon purred in her mind, a soothing tone, but the hard edge of his eyes led her to believe that his demon hadn't agreed. That his demon didn't want hers. It was strange, though. Why would her demon be reaching out to him so dramatically? Especially if his demon didn't agree…

She was distracted for a moment as a servant approached her - the same one that the lord had managed to scare of - to tell her that she was preparing a room for her and that she would show her where it was. The servant girl - Mizune - seemed like a rather skittish demon, but stunningly, they were of the same bloodline, sharing many features and yet they were so different…

The meek servant led her into the castle, and she couldn't even get her mind off of Sesshoumaru, that prince that looked at her with such hatred, as if he was trying to stop anything before it started…

A sigh escaped her, and the servant blinked, pausing. "Are you alright, Ritsu-san?" she asked respectfully.

"There's something about Sesshoumaru-san that just…" She didn't know how to continue, just sighed again.

"Something about Sesshoumaru-san that just makes you happy and makes you want to melt and everything around you says that it's so right when by hierarchical standards it's so very wrong?"

"Yes, but how did you…?"

Mizune smiled at her in that meek way, her red eyes closing with what seemed to be emotion as she continued moving. "I'm in the same situation. My demon says it's so very right, but if his has said anything, there's no way for me to know, and there's nothing that he's said in return."

"Who is it?" Ritsu asked with curiosity.

"I shouldn't say," Mizune replied softly, eyes down casting to the floor as the leader of the white inu turned a corner up ahead and the two dark-haired demons paused as the dog general stopped before them.

"Mizune-chan, you've gotten her room set up, haven't you? Very good. Would you mind fetching me some water and bringing it to the arena for me?" he asked. Ritsu looked at Mizune as she nodded, but the meek demon held a smile that sat on her lips in such a way that she had answered Ritsu's question quite sufficiently.

When Ritsu was sure that they wouldn't overhear her, she said softly, "You know, I think he does know. He's just not sure how to approach you." Mizune blinked as if this was a revelation, looking at her with eyes bright like a hopeful pup would be over a treat.

"You think so?"

"He smiles at you so warmly…I'm pretty sure." Ritsu replied, smiling at her. After all, they were of the same clan.

Mizune smiled back at her, walking down the hall with a bit more life in her stride as she headed to the room where Ritsu would be staying. "This will be your room up until your departure. If you need help finding anywhere, there are always servants moving around. You should be able to find one within the next two hallways."

"Thanks, Mizu-chan," the demon replied with a smile. Mizune bowed to her respectfully before moving to carry out her master's orders.

Ritsu walked into the room to survey it, and after studying, she went to the window to see her view and frowned.

Clear to see, Sesshoumaru had discarded his top while moving to fight and spar with some of the soldiers. A groan escaped her.

Why her?


End file.
